The present invention relates to an operating device for an air vent including at least one swiveling vane. The invention further relates to an air vent.
Air vents having vanes for deflecting the airstream include, for example, a central operating member for swiveling the vanes. Where only one group of vanes is provided, with the vanes being parallel and coupled to each other, the operating member is attached directly to one of the vanes, so that by moving the operating member, the vanes can be swiveled directly in the direction in which the operating member is swiveled.
Where provision is made for two groups of vanes arranged one behind the other, for example perpendicular to each other, it is not possible to directly operate the vanes positioned at the rear as viewed from the interior of the vehicle because they are covered by the front vanes. But it is desirable for reasons of convenience to swivel both groups of vanes using one operating member.
For operating the rear vanes, provision is made in the prior art for a lever on the operating member, the lever projecting on the rear side and being coupled in an articulated fashion to a vane of the rear group of vanes. The lever is part of, or connected with, the operating member and is mounted jointly therewith at a front vane or in the air vent in an articulated fashion. When the operating member is swiveled, the rear vanes are swiveled by the lever in the opposite direction.
These operating devices have the drawback that the rear vanes are swiveled in opposition to the swivel direction of the operating member, whereas the swivel direction of the front vanes corresponds to the swivel direction of the operating member. This requires a frequent rethinking on the part of the vehicle occupant, which may cause the driver of the vehicle to be distracted.